June 17th

The last few days have been pretty much the same. No more babies though. My days are as follows, 9am till 2pm at the clinic, then I go over the orphanage for a couple hours to hang out with the kiddos. I have perfected taking blood, the last few days I have managed to get every patient on the first stick, this is a success! No vein scares me now! Because HIV is so prevalent in Africa every patient that comes in gets a blood test, meaning a lot of practice for me. Since I have been here I have not had one patient test positive for HIV, until Wednesday. Wednesday we had 4 people test positive for HIV. Two couples, both women were pregnant. In the U.S. HIV is such a tragic and life changing thing, therefor I expected both couples to be devastated. The reaction couldn’t have been more opposite, It might have been the language barrier but neither reacted the way I had expected. I still don’t understand, were they calm because it’s expected/accepted to have HIV in Africa or do they not understand the negative consequences of living with HIV.

Thursday I performed my first pelvic exam. A lady came in 7 months pregnant thinking she was in labor. Thankfully she wasn’t because that could have ended badly. It’s very common for preterm babies to die here. Turns out she was not dilated and was ok to go. If she had been 9 months pregnant though I would have been ready! I can’t wait for my next baby.

I have also perfected all types of public transportation. This includes bus, taxi, and motor bike (Kiana I know you would be proud, imagine me on the back of a bike).  I can even flag my own bus and I know when people are trying to rip me off, I’m practically a local, just kidding.  I did make a lethal mistake the other day though. The busses here are more like 12 seater vans that cram as many people in as they can. One time we had 26 heart beats, 21 adults, 4 babies and one chicken.  Anyway back to my mistake, there is a drive and one person who sits in the back whose job is to collect money, open the door when it stops, and hang his head out the window screaming at people if they want to get on.  So he is the one who opens and closes the door, no one else. Well I thought people wanted to get on. I tried to open the door to let them on but his head was hanging out the van window so I practically decapitated him against the sliding van door, ops. I felt like a complete idiot. It’s ok though because I know I ask for it while I’m in the bus. I also did another stupid thing the other day while I was on the bus. Constantly people are screaming from the street or moving vehicles “mazungoo” when they see me. On my way to the clinic I was riding the bus and we had stop, when we stop I saw one of my friends on the street. Not thinking whose company I was in, surrounded by all Africans I pointed, and screamed mazungoo out the window at her. I thought she would see me and think it was funny, instead everyone on the bus thought I was insane, they were probably thinking why is this mazungoo screaming mazungoo at the other mazugoo. They eventually all laughed.

Anyway till next time, but before I leave I just wanted to tell everyone that has donated so far THANK YOU, even the littlest things go so far here. I have a video that I will be posting soon on my facebook and blog of the children you are helping. Also, if you still want to donate I will be here till the end of July, so please do!!! You can send anything you want to my family at 11155 Pond Fountain Ct New Market MD 21774. Just give them a call at 301 882 7195. Also the organization is GVN, it’s a volunteer network so ever donation is a tax deductible, if you have more question about that call my parents, they are the tax people.

June 16, 2012

Friday Matt and Nicholes left and I was so sad to see them leave! They were so much fun. Watching them leave was probably one of the most emotional days I have had since I have been here. They were only here two weeks but they became so attached to the children, and the children became very attached to them. Matt become so attached that he actually looked into adoption. Interesting things are happening in Rwanda right now in terms of adoption and orphanages, internationals adoption is banned. Only Rwandans can adopt Rwandan children, and the president has a plan to close all orphanages by the year 2014. Since the genocide Rwandans have taken much pride in their country and really make it a point to bring back/keep Rwandans in their own country. The idea is together they will stay and make Rwanda strong.  Needless to say there is no way Matt could adopt, but there is a loophole. Matt obviously really attached and wanting to make a difference in these children’s lives decided to sponsor them. With the help of Angel, the orphanage, and a boarding school, Lillian and Emanuel are going to be sent to boarding school where they can get a proper education, be fed, and looked after until they graduate secondary school. The cost to send both children to school for one year is about two thousand U.S. dollars, amazing right. Matt is giving these two children a chance to be something more than just a product of an orphanage. After he worked out the logistics with the orphanage is when he told the children. Watching Matt tell Emanuel and Lillian was one of the most moving things I have every experienced, even better than delivering the baby. Even though these children are eleven and sixteen they realized what an amazing opportunity they were just given and cried, I have to admit I cried too. So happy they thanked Matt, then Matt told them the only thing they need to do to repay him is when they grow up they need to help children just like them, at this point I was bawling. Will this message stay with these children… hopefully, this situation kind of reminds me of the movie Pay it Forward. What a great methodology to live your life by. These two lucky children now have a chance.  

June 17, 2012

Because Matt and Nicholes left it’s just Jane and I now, since Miriam decided to go home. Hopefully I can stay busy during the week till I see the other volunteers on weekends. I know with everyone gone I’m going to be itching for the weekends. This past weekend was great; three volunteers came down to Gysini to visit me. Together we went to three of the local bars. My favorite was Bikini Tam Tam, Bikini Tam Tam is right on the beach, its so beautiful you almost forget about all the pollution. The bar is right on the water, and there are several tables and benches in the sand. Saturday we sat on the beach all day until we decided to find another bar at night… it was so much fun, finally social volunteers that are my age, too bad they are in Kigial during the week.   

Sunday we went to the border out of curiosity. We asked several people what it would take to cross the border of Rwanda to the DRC.  No one could give us a straight answer; I don’t even think they know. Several people have told us the DRC makes it pretty expensive for people to enter the country since they lack tourism, I guess you need to make your money somewhere. Most people are trying to get out of the DRC not go into it. There at the border we met several UN officials from Uruguay so we went up to ask them about it. They didn’t speak English but they spoke Spanish, for the first since I have been here I actually felt like I could communicate with someone. Although my Spanish sucks we were able to figure out the cost to get into the DRC. Half English half Spanish I was able to have a conversation with them about getting across the border, the cost and the DRC’s problems. That was really interesting to talk to the UN officials, it puts it into perspective where you are and your relation to other countries. As we were exploring we saw several refugees crossing the border of the Congo getting into refugee trucks to be taken to the refugee camp down the street from where I am living.  I would have taken a picture because it was quite interesting but I thought it would be a little insensitive.

The remained of the day Charlotte and I went to the market and then got our nails done, hard life! In the morning we watch the refugees escaping from the Congo and in the afternoon we get out nails done. To get a French manicure it cost 1500 frans, 2.5 US dollars. I’m looking pretty grimy so it was much needed.

Also since I have been feeling better I have been trying to get in touch with my inner Rwandan, so I started running. Angel always tells me I look smart before I go on run, which I find so funny. Running is in no way a hobby for people here, in fact they have no idea why I run. I guess when you walk half a day to get bananas I wouldn’t be able to justify it either. People find it so amusing that they will take pictures of me, run with me, or cheer me on while I run down the street. Gotta love Africa.